A dozen middle schoolers dropped to their knees, interlaced their fingers and pressed down on the chests of vinyl mannequins. A nurse’s counting set the hundred-beats-per-minute pace. As the kids caught the rhythm, somone hit the “Play” button on a CD player, and the room filled with the foottapping tones of the Bee Gee’s “Staying Alive.” The students laughed as the learned how to save a life.

That’s one example of how area businesses, educators, nonprofits and volunteers are finding creative, effective ways to engage students through a partnership called United 4 Change.

U4C was launched in 2012 by United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region, Eaton Corporation, Stryker Corporation and Southwest Michigan First. This business-led partnership – more than 30 are now involved – focuses on early grade reading achievement and middle/high school career mentoring to spur students to academic and career success.

“In our first couple of years, United 4 Change generated dynamic improvements in reading proficiency and engaged hundreds of students in mentorships, career fairs, externships and training,” said Brian Boukalik, chairman of the U4C Core Team.

In May, U4C brought together 450 middle schoolers from Climax-Scotts, Comstock, Galesburg-Augusta and Parchment for Career Day at Western Michigan University. Students rotated through different rooms and learned about careers in health care (including that CPR excercise), environmental sciences, aviation, education, journalism, law enforcement and manufacturing.

Also, during teh spring, high schoolers did onsite externships so students saw real-life examples of careers they’re considering. 

Boukalik said these and other activities, including reading buddies in local elementary schools, are building momentum for kids to do better in school and start planning for their future.

“We’re eager to recruit more business partners and volunteers so we can grow early grade reading and offer more opportunities for students to engage in careers,” Boukalik said. “This effort is bearing fruit, and we’re excited to keep planting and harvesting for the sake of our region’s kids.”

Want to get involved in United 4 Change? Check out our website at www.united-4-change.com, or contact Ben Nyhoff at United Way at (269)962-9538 or bnyhoff@uwbckr.org.